FLYNN:  (Surprised.) Central Officer! (Whistles and walks off R.)

O’MARA:  (Returning to vestibule.) Ring any bell?

TOM:  No, her flat’s on the second floor, so I’ll ring up the top flat. (TOM rings the bell and sound of electric door opener is heard, they both exit door C.) (FLYNN strolls back on from R. ad MAGGIE enters from L.)

FLYNN:  Hello, Maggie! been out to get the evening paper?  There is not much in it.

MAGGIE:  There’s enough in it to quench me thirst after a hard day’s work.

FLYNN:  I see you’ve got the paper wrapped around something good.

MAGGIE:  I have that, and it’s meself instead of the paper’ll be wrapped around it in a minute. (Light goes up in window above.)

FLYNN:  I see you’ve got a new tenant.  Is she hard on you?

MAGGIE:  Divel-a-bit!  She’s a nice respectable dacent girl, and aisy to get along with.  I never seen her with no men folks.  Maybe she’s a widdy, as I’d like to be.

FLYNN:  A widow?  What’s the matter with your old man?

MAGGIE:  He ain’t worth powder enough to blow up a cock-roach.

FLYNN:  Is he working?

MAGGIE:  He ain’t done a tap since the civil war.

FLYNN:  That’s quite a vacation.

MAGGIE:  Vacation?  It’s a life sentence of laziness.

FLYNN:  There’s many a good man layin’ off.

MAGGIE:  No, the good men are dyin’ off, it’s the bums that are layin’ off.

FLYNN:  (Looking at house.) Well, the landlord of this house ain’t particular about his tenants.

MAGGIE:  Not a bit, it’s been a nest for thieves ever since I came here.

FLYNN:  Well, they’ve got to live somewhere, the jails are overcrowded.

MAGGIE:  Oh, I don’t mind thim, they can steal nothin’ from me but me old man, and they’re welcome to him without usin’ a jimmy.

FLYNN:  A jimmy?  You’re getting on to the thief slang.

MAGGIE:  Why wouldn’t I?  That’s all I hear mornin’ and night from “Tommy the Rat,” “Tim the Flim,” and “John the Con.”

FLYNN:  You know all their monakers?

MAGGIE:  I do that.  Say, they’ve given me a monaker, too.

FLYNN:  What do they call you?

MAGGIE:  “Mag the Jag.”

FLYNN:  (Laughs.) Well, I must be off. (Starts off R.)

MAGGIE:  (As she goes up into vestibule.) Won’t you come in and have a sup of beer and a pull at the old man’s pipe?

FLYNN:  I can’t, I’ve got a stationary post.

MAGGIE:  Look at that now, that shows where you stand.  Good-night,
John.

FLYNN:  Good-night, Maggie. (Exits R.) (Enter EEL and GOLDIE arm in arm, talking earnestly.  As they come to steps, GOLDIE goes up and unlocks door.  EEL sees FLYNN coming up on R., he lights cigarette and motions to go in.  GOLDIE exits door C. FLYNN comes up to EEL, who throws the match in his face and disappears door C. as FLYNN is rubbing his eyes.)